Join us for our 5th Annual Winter Folk Festival in a brand new location!

10 DAYS AND NIGHTS OF MUSIC, SONG, ENGLISH FOLK DANCING, INCLUDING CONTRA, SQUARE, PLAYFORD ETC, WITH TUTORIALS AND WORKSHOPS.

After a hugely successful Folk Dancing Festival held the Hotel Amaragua in Torremolinos in February 2024, we are thrilled to be planning the next adventure for 2025 and, we have chosen a new area, this time on the Algarve in Portugal. 

We extend this invite to you and to all lovers of English folk dancing to come and join us on this next adventure in January, for ten glorious days and nights of dancing, socializing, and fun, the way we have always done it!  With amazing live music provided by a mix of the best folk-dance musicians and callers from the UK and the USA, there will be classes and tutorials daily, followed by dancing every evening in the function rooms.  There is, quite frankly, something for everyone on this adventure to Portugal and even if you don’t like too much dancing, you can sit by the pool and relax among friends and of course listen to the wonderful music!   And if you don’t want to take a dip in the pool, you can still immerse yourself totally in a happy, lively and music-filled atmosphere that is seriously conducive to real holiday enjoyment.  Oh! And if you don’t fancy a dip in the outdoor pool, you can luxuriate in the heated version indoors instead!

The Hotel

The Real Marina is part of the Real Hotels Group with whom we have worked for many years!  In fact those of you who have been with us previously will recall the Grand Real Hotel in Albufeira which is a sister hotel and both operate to the same high standard.  It is a classical, elegant and very functional venue with several large rooms for dancing.  You will wake up every morning to the spectacular views of the Ria Formosa National Park. The hotel has 132 rooms and 12 suites. And provides a 5***** service.  The range of facilities include:  Free internet, Outdoor pool, Indoor heated pool, Fitness Centre with Gym / Workout Room, Air conditioning,  Private balconies, Room service, Safe, Minibar, Flatscreen TV.  All Non-smoking rooms, and of course plenty of rooms for dancing! 

The Location

Just a short distance from Faro airport lies the town of Olhão.  It’s a traditional fishing town in the Eastern Algarve, a great town to explore and is a perfect place to experience some of the real Algarve with plenty to see and do to keep you busy.  Most importantly, Olhão, as well as being the largest fishing port in the region, with fresh fish daily and some of the best fish restaurants in the Algarve, it is also the gateway to the Ria Formosa National Park!   This is a lagoon system that stretches some 60km along the coastline of the Algarve, all the way to the small town of Manta Rota. It’s a tidal lagoon system that’s made up of peninsular land, barrier islands, tidal inlets, beaches and wetlands. It is home to a variety of wildlife and an important habitat for many migrating birds. Due to its unique habitat, it’s classified as a protected area that’s governed by the ICNF, Portugal’s natural heritage body. The headquarters of the park are located just 2km east of Olhão in Quinta Marim. It has as a visitor centre, a circular walk with informational signs, and a tide mill that’s now a museum. It’s not only seabirds and marine life, if you look carefully, you might also spot some very rare chameleons among the trees! And of course, there will be a few chameleons on the trip as well! 

Entertainment

The quality of our holidays has always been immeasurably strengthened by the creativity and professionalism of our Musicians, callers, teachers and other entertainers.  The variety is awesome and covers a whole range of styles and the classes as well as the music are always delivered at the highest quality level.  They are without doubt the lifeblood of every event and their music captures the flavour of each occasion when you are likely to find yourself hand clapping and toe tapping in the most unusual places.  It is an absolute joy to just sit and listen to them, even if you never put a foot on the dance floor.  Their reels, jigs and hornpipes etc., are delivered in a foot-tapping, hand-clapping style that is difficult to resist.  They add an exciting dimension to our events all the time and every time and their contribution to the overall level of enjoyment is unmeasurable and difficult to quantify.  You can dance each night away and the afternoons too or, you can just relax and listen to your favourite entertainers while sipping your Gin & Tonic or whatever takes your fancy!  On this event we are proud and happy to present the following team of artists:

We are excited to present:

Ivan Aitken. MC & Festival Director

Ivan has been working with us for several years. He selects the artists and helps to build the programme. From Reading in Berkshire he is a great caller with a humorous style and has many years’ experience, gained through working with several local clubs and at various dance weekends and folk festivals, including Broadstairs, Bromyard, Chippenham, Eastbourne, Sidmouth, Southam and Whitby. Ivan is known for his wide and interesting repertoire of dances which includes Contras, Squares, Playford, Scottish, and Modern English Dances. He constantly delivers with care, lots of humour and great attention to detail.

Janet Aitken

Janet Aitken plays keyboards, clarinet and recorders. She lives in Reading, Berkshire with her husband Ivan. She was introduced to folk dancing at an early age in the Girl Guides. She learnt to play the clarinet at School but now has become a multi-instrumentalist, playing the guitar, a range of recorders and keyboards to suit the many different styles of dance and the huge number of venues, and different types of occasions where she is asked to perform. She has played with numerous bands and musicians and when not playing or dancing, she enjoys art and singing.

Ali Messer

Ali has been playing for contra dancing at London Barn-dances for a long time, with bands such as Blue Mountain, Alterations, Fat Harry, Fiddlechicks and others. The creativity of contra dance music, with influences from old time, Irish tunes, French Canadian traditions, klezmer and more, means that there is always something new to learn. Ali has recently teamed up with Linda for Box of Frogs as a duo, and the Linda Game big band with Patrice and Chris. Let new improvisations begin!

Meg Griffin

Meg has worked with us previously and has been playing rhythm for folk bands since the 1970’s and has gone on to play with many great musicians including the Alterations. Meg now plays with Momentum, Meg’n’Mor and other combinations known as Moonlighting! She also very kindly takes charge of the bird watching trips and is already planning her next foray.

Linda Game

Linda Game has been playing on the dance scene for the last 30 years. Her effervescent, high energy fiddle style impresses with its great rhythm and sensitive improvisation. Well known as one of England’s top contra fiddlers (https://fb.watch/gSpTdOe6IW/) she has also accompanied various styles including Appalachian, English clog, tap and modern dance. Linda has played events and festivals in Europe, Africa, and the United States. In addition to her work with Gareth Kiddier in the English Contra Dance Band, she also plays for ECD with Ali Messer, for Ceilidh with Token Women, and Contra with the Linda Game Band.

Mike Green

Mike Green plays mandolin and octave mandolin with numerous Midlands folk dance bands and is a longtime musician for the Wayfarers Country dance display team. He has played at dances and festivals in the UK and abroad with us and others and enjoys every style of dance music from Playford to American Contra.

Brian McMinn

Brian McMinn discovered the enjoyment of Folk Dancing in his late twenties. Then, after jamming on the piano in a folk music session, he was introduced to the piano accordion. Since then, he has played as a regular musician at several Midlands dance clubs. As leader of Jovial Crew, he has played at several national festivals, dance weekends and holidays and regularly for various dances.

Bill Keyes

Bill was brought up in a folk family and has been dancing all his life. He started playing whistles and bones 30 years ago. Now he plays at festivals and events all around the country mostly with the dance band Momentum.

Cis Hinkle

is a ‘facilitator of fun’ who has delighted dancers for decades with her skilled teaching, welcoming manner, playful enthusiasm, and masterful selection of dances. She’s in great demand at music and dance festivals all over the USA, England, Denmark, and beyond. When not on the road, Cis teaches tai chi classes in her native Atlanta, Georgia. She is travelling from the States and looking forward to spending time with us in Spain in 2024.

Frances Oates

Frances Oates lives in Cornwall. She is a well-known and highly respected caller and when she’s not calling, she is a very keen and accomplished dancer herself. She calls regularly for clubs around Cornwall and the general area beyond and is in such demand that she works almost every weekend at various Festivals and dances around the country. She also runs the very popular dance weekend in Paignton. She has been with us previously in Spain and is looking forward to meeting everyone again and calling for you at the Winter Folk Dance Festival in Torremolinos.

Philip Rowe - fiddle & piano

Philip Rowe will be playing fiddle and piano for both English and American dance. He lives in Harrogate in North Yorkshire and is best known as a founder member of Knotted Chord Folk Dance Band and the Rowe family band - Stray Chords. He has been playing for dancing since early childhood and can turn his hand to most kinds of folk dance music from England and the USA.

What’s Included

• Meet & Greet at Faro Airport

• Transfer by luxury coach or taxi to and from Olhao

• 10 nights dinner bed and breakfast at the Real Marina Hotel

• 7 night option available from 21st January

• Great entertainment each afternoon

• Dancing every evening to suit all tastes

• Workshops daily

• Music tutorials daily / Bring your own instrument.

• Optional excursions AND Bird watching available, (details on arrival)

• Full time services of the event team.

• All your funds protected through our client trust account.

• No hidden extras. The price shown is the price you pay.

• Easy payment terms available.